Before Bryant ultimately re-signed with the Seahawks back in 2012, the New England Patriots made a run at him, and it sounds as though they were close to landing him.

“The Patriots were interested and I definitely was listening. I thought it was a great opportunity for me, and the likelihood of me going there was high,” Bryant said at the time, via Mike Reiss of ESPN Boston.

Reiss mentions that it’s hard to say if the Patriots would still have interest in Bryant at this point in his career, but they could obviously use some depth and Bryant can offer versatility and strong run-defense.

Reiss adds that the Jaguars could be another team to watch given that Bryant’s former defensive coordinator, Gus Bradley, is now the head coach in Jacksonville.

Bryant, 29, is entering the third year of a five-year, $35 million contract he signed with the Seahawks back in 2012. He has a roster bonus of $3 million due on March 14 and will could $8.5 million against the team’s 2014 cap.

In 2013, Bryant totaled 31 tackles and 1.5 sacks over the course of 15 games for the Seahawks. Pro Football Focus has Bryant rated as the No. 15 defensive end in a 4-3 system last year while being particularly strong against the run.